Neobathiea comet-halei Hermans & P.J.Cribb, Kew Bull. 69(2)-9517: 7 (2014).
Description:
Small semi-erect,epiphytic herb.Stem unbranched, short, flattened, 5 mm long, 3 mm in diam., covered in persistent scarious, heavily ridged leaf-sheaths below; roots round, smooth 2 – 3 mm in diam. Leaves coriaceous, oblong-spatulate or elliptic, obscurely unequally2-lobedattheapex,32–46 mm long,12–14mm broad, smooth. Inflorescence single-flowered, axillary; peduncle up to 40 mm long, 1 mm in diam., with a small brown triangular 3 mm long, 2 mm wide bract; pedicel32mmlong,with a small 3 mm long,2 mm wide embryonic flower and bract at the end. Flowers 21 mm long,17 mm wide not including the spur, the sepals and petals greenish-yellow becoming darker toward the base, the lip and spur a paler greenish yellow, all segments turning yellower with age, the column wings white, slightly glossy; pedicel and ovary 22 mm long, round, slightly ridged. Dorsal sepal lanceolate, 11 mm long, 3 mm wide; lateral sepals spathulate-lanceolate, 8.8 mm long, 2.8 mm wide. Petals lanceolate, 10 mmlong, 4 mm wide. Lip entire, ovate-lanceolate, 15 mm long, 9 mm wide, with a broad trumpet-shaped mouth to the spur; spur 60 mm long, parallel with the column. Column short, fleshy, 2 mm long, 4 mm wide, auriculate at the apex; rostellum short and fleshy; pollinia 2, globose, 3 mm in diam.
Etymology:
In reference to the shape of the flower and to the comet Hale-Bopp which was visible during the year the new species was discovered.
Habitat:
Epiphyte in remnants of low elevation evergreen humid forest. On small trees covered in lichen and moss, in deep shade.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus.
Notes:
This species is easily distinguished from Neobathiea grandidieriana (Rchb. f.) Garay and N. keraudrenae Toill.-Gen. & Bosser, the other species in the genus with an entire lip. Both of them have larger flowers and a much longer spur (N. keraudrenae up to 13 cm long, N. grandidieriana up to 14 cm long) and their sepals and petals are reflexed and of a different shape.
Distribution:
Madagascar
References:
New species and new names in Malagasy orchids (Orchidaceae) by Johan Hermans & Phillip Cribb, KEW BULLETIN (2014) 69: 9517; WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 09.03-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
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Genus Neobathiea
Read more of Cultivation of Neobathiea grandidierana (Rchb.f.) Garay,
Light:
1200-2000 fc. Light should be filtered or diffused, and plants should not be exposed to direct midday sun. Strong air movement should be provided at all times. Hillerman & Holst (1986) reported that this orchid thrives under lower light levels.
Temperatures:
Summer days average 78-80F (26-27C), and nights average 60-61F (16C), with a diurnal range of 17-20F (10-11C).
Humidity:
75-80% most of the year, dropping to near 65% for a short time in spring.
Water:
Rainfall is very heavy from late spring to early autumn. Amounts then decrease fairly rapidly at the beginning of the 5-month dry season, which lasts from late autumn to early spring. Cultivated plants should be watered heavily while actively growing. Water should be reduced after new growth is completed in autumn.
Fertilizer:
1/4-1/2 recommended strength, applied weekly when plants are actively growing. Many growers use a balanced fertilizer all year. Others, however, prefer to use a high-nitrogen fertilizer from spring to midsummer and then switch to a high-phosphate formula in late summer and autumn.
Rest period:
Winter days average 68-70F (20-21C), and nights average 48-50F (9-10C), with a diurnal range of 19-22F (11-12C). Rainfall in the habitat is low in winter, but additional moisture usually is available from heavy dew and mist. Cultivated plants need less water in winter, but they should not dry out completely or stay dry for long periods. Fairly regular early-morning mistings between infrequently light waterings should provide sufficient moisture in most growing areas. Hillerman and Holst (1986) report misting their plants about 5 times per week. Fertilizer should be reduced or eliminated until new growth starts and heavier watering is resumed in spring.
Growing media:
Plants may be grown in shallow, well-drained containers or mounted on tree-fern slabs. Mounted plants need high humidity, however, and during hot, dry weather they may need several waterings a day. If it is difficult to keep mounted plants moist enough, they may be grown in a shallow pot or basket filled with a very open, fast-draining medium that has excellent drainage, is well aerated, and allows the medium to dry fairly rapidly after watering. Growers generally use medium-sized fir bark or shredded tree-fern fiber and add varying amounts of chunky perlite and/or chopped sphagnum moss to keep the medium open and retain some moisture. Including charcoal in the mix also holds the medium open and prevents souring in the pot. Plants should be repotted immediately if the medium starts to break down or whenever the plant outgrows its container. Repotting should be done just as new roots start to grow. This enables the plant to become reestablished in the shortest possible time.
Notes:
Hamilton (1988) reported that plants in cultivation bloom in late winter and spring.
References:
This information is quoted from a Charles and Margaret Baker culture sheet, with permission from Troy Meyers
Neobathiea spatulata H.Perrier, Notul. Syst. (Paris) 7: 50 (1938).
Description:
Stem slightly compressed, almost sinuate, more or lens elongated. 3-20 cm long, covered by the sheaths which are heavily 7 veined and bearing near the apex, the leaves more or less numerous and of about the same length as the stem, elliptical (2.3-3.5 x 1-1.5 cm), obtuse at both ends, terminal lobes large and unequal. Inflorescence 2.5-8 cm, 1-7 flowered, loosely arranged; peduncle (3-4 cm.) bearing 2-3 short, obtuse sheaths near the base, obtuse and compressed; rachis slightly sinuate; bracts obtuse. 2.5- 3 mm long; flowers white. Median sepal spatulate (12 x 4 mm), toward the base very narrowly cuneiform, subopaque and with 3 obsolete veins; lateral sepals almost similar, but longer and wider (14 x 5 mm). Petals similar to the median sepal, but with 3 obvious veins. Labellum deeply trilobed, pubescent above the base of the lobes: lateral lobes obovate-cuneiform (5 x 5 mm), straight on the internal margins, enlarged on the external margins; median lobe obtriangular, attenuate from the apex to the compressed bane, emarginate apically and provided with a thick apicule, spur thin 4-5 cm long, attenuate from the slightly compressed-pubescent interiorly oriface to the apex. Anther hemispherical (3 mm), verrucose, elongated in front by 2 large (2.5 mm) membranous, obtuse lobes, separated by a deep notch: pollina as is N. hirtula, but with the pollina yellow; staminodes obvious, adnate to the base of the auricles. Column short (2.5 mm), very thick; auricles wide (1 x 1.6 mm), rounded is front, angular behind: the median lobe of the rostellum in the form of a thick rostrum, longer than the auricles; artist slightly above the base of the column, indicated only by the slightly thickened margins of the spur oriface, not lining the margins of the oriface; stigma only semi-inclusive of the spur oriface. Pedicel glabrous, 1.4-1.6 cm long.
Habitat:
Epiphytes of branches; tropical forests: flowering January.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus, hot growing lithophyte.
Notes:
This species is very closely related to N. hirtula, but is differentiated by the form of the sepals, petals and the lobes of the labellum, the spur is longer and the interior is pubescent, the column arms are almost banal and non marginating, the stigma is only semi-included in the spur oriface, and the auricles are of another form.
Distribution:
N. Madagascar
References:
Orchids of Madagascar Hermans 2007; Field Guide to the Orchids of Madagascar Cribb & Herman 2009; WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 09.03-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
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Neobathiea perrieri (Schltr.) Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 33: 371 (1925).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Aeranthes perrieri Schltr., Ann. Inst. Bot.-Géol. Colon. Marseille, III, 1: 187 (1913).
Bathiea perrieri (Schltr.) Schltr., Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 33(2): 440 (1915).
Description:
Small subacaulis plants; leaves 4-6 with their sheaths striate, 5-6 mm tall and with the limbus oblong spatulate (3.5-7 x 1-1.9 cm), undulate marginally; and wider medially or above. Inflorescence 6-12 cm long twice as long as the leaves: peduncle rigid (1-1.5 mm in diameter), one or two flowered, with 2-3 short, appressed (5 mm at most) sheaths, one-sixth to one-tenth the length of the internodes; bracts 3-4 mm long, acute: flowers (on a two flowered inflorescence) 1cm apart, white very large. Sepals lanceolate spatulate, narrowed basally, acute apically and 22 mm, long. Petals similar to the sepals and nearly as large. Labellum lanceolate-acute, somewhat simulating a halberd head marginally, retuse and cordate basally, trilobed near the apex, 2 cm long, very wide between the lateral lobes; lateral lobes diverging, oval and attenuate-subacute toward the apex. median lobe oval, attenuate-acute, twice as large as the laterals. Spur curved in front, then pendent, enlarged near the oriface, filiform generally 7-10 cm long. Column very short, auricles subtruncate, large and truncate apically; median lobe of the rostellum much larger than the auricles. Pedicel generally 25 mm long
Habitat:
Neobathiea perrieri grows epiphytically on bushes in dry forest in western Madagascar, to which it is indigenous. It has been collected on the banks of the Besafotra, a tributary of the Menavava,in the west. The natural habitat of this species suggests a distinct, severe dry season. In Madagascar, flowering occurs in January, during the rainy season.
Cultivation:
This species can be potted if the mix is very airy-as with loose osmunda or sphagnum. Or mounted, on a 7 x 18 cm slab or ample. Light can be quite low and still produce flowers. Otherwise, all conditions are intermediate.
Notes:
This is a rather different little species—a semi-"mini," which should do well grown under lights. The flowers have a unique, interesting form that is sure to please.
Distribution:
N. & NW. Madagascar
References:
AOS Bulletin Vol 48 No 4 1979; AOS Bulletin Vol 52 No 12 1983; Cultivated Angraecoid Orchids Of Madagascar Hillerman & Holst 1986; Flora of Madagascar Perrier 1981; Angraecoid Orchids Stewart, Hermans, Campbell 2006; Orchids of Madagascar Hermans 2007; Field Guide to the Orchids of Madagascar Cribb & Herman 2009; WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 09.03-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
Images:
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| In culture | In culture | In culture | In culture | In culture | In culture |
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| Photograph ©Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission. | Photograph ©Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission. | Photograph ©Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission. | Photograph ©Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission. | Photograph ©Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission. | Photograph ©Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission. |
Neobathiea keraudrenae Toill.-Gen. & Bosser, Naturaliste Malgache 13: 25 (1964).
Description:
Epiphytic plants with stems 10 cm long or more, with numerous adventitious, fleshy roots. Leaves 4—5, lying in one plane, 5-5 x 2 cm, oblong to spathulate, narrowing at the base, bilobed at the apex. Inflorescence as long as the leaves, 1-2-flowered; peduncle slender, 3-4cm long; bracts brown, ovate, 3.5 cm long. Flowers fleshy, greenish-white. Sepals 10 x 4mm, spathulate, rounded or somewhat apiculate at the apex. Petals similar, but slightly longer and broader. Lip entire, glabrous, horizontal, subpandurate (fiddleshaped), 20 x 12 mm; spur 13 cm long, filiform. Column 2.5 mm long, with rounded auricles at the apex.
Etymology:
This charming species was described in 1962 by J Toilliez-Genoud and J Bosser and named in honour of Mlle Keraudren, who collected the type specimen.
Habitat:
This very rare species occurs in humid, high altitude forest east of Lake Alaotra.
Notes:
It has a long spur, like Neobathiea grandidieriana, but differs mainly in the subpandurate lip.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus.
Distribution:
EC. Madagascar
References:
Angraecoid Orchids Stewart, Hermans & Campbell 2007; Orchids of Madagascar Hermans 2007; Field Guide to the Orchids of Madagascar Cribb & Herman 2009; WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 09.03-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
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